As we journey in faith this Sunday, the readings give us an opportunity to review—and perhaps extend— what kind of disciples we are. Are we comfortable disciples doing the "ordinary" things of faith, or are we risk takers who are willing, as Pope Francis asks us, to go to the peripheries and bring the Good News of the Gospel to someone who does not know or has not heard of Jesus’ love for them?

The Liturgy dictates that when the Transfiguration of the Lord falls on a Sunday in August we hear, once more, the exact same Gospel reading we heard last Lent on the second Sunday of that Season (Gospel of Matthew). Rather than just reprint what I wrote that Sunday, we are called--as Scripture scholars tell us--to focus on a different part of the reading. Rather than concern ourselves with the more Lenten understanding of being more penitential, as the season of Lent would highlight, we need to listen to Peter’s words more closely.

Do you ever wonder what kind of stories Jesus might tell today if He came among us to preach? Would He use the same examples in His 2000 year-old parables which we read today? Would we hear about “talents and treasures” or “a widow’s mite” or as in today’s Gospel, the Savior speaks about gardening and baking—two items that His listeners certainly understood through everyday life as they were part of daily survival for His audience. Most likely, the Lord would do the same style of preaching and teaching with us today—only using easily understood modern situations—and I am thankful for this since I only garden by direction, and cook by telephone

Tis’ the season…of weddings and this article recently appeared on the internet and caught my eye. In the Catholic Church, our Pre-Cana wedding program offers an inventory which the couple takes aimed at seeing how they view and understand important issues of marriage—everything from inter- and intra-family relations, child rearing issues, faith issues and even financial concerns and styles. The goal is to highlight any “red flags” or topics not yet discussed in detail by the couple before the walk down the aisle

Mission Team 2017 arrived home safely from our week of service in Dover, Delaware. We felt the prayerful support of the St. Catherine of Siena community all week. Our work sites this year were varied and a departure from the familiar. Some of us worked at The Boys and Girls Club, others were at a women and children’s shelter, the food bank, or the animal rescue zoo. Most of us spent the week outside with home repair projects such as power washing, painting, and home restoration for seniors and the physically challenged of the Dover area. Still others, worked under the hot, humid, Delaware sun on weeding and clean- up projects.

This Sunday the Gospel of Matthew speaks about the large crowds that gathered to hear Jesus talk about the Good News that He was proclaiming of God’s love for each person, of God’s desire that we too love others as we love ourselves, and of God’s understanding of compassion and hope which may lead to eternal life—through the daily actions of our lives today. This call from Jesus was a call that elevates all humanity to the excellence which God calls us to be and become, rather than the world’s “call” to selfishness—and sometimes to seek the “lowest common denominator.”

A few months ago I was invited by Archbishop Blair to join him as part of a 25-member Hartford delegation to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s (USCCB) Convocation of Catholic Leaders in Orlando, Florida. The Convocation’s goal was to unite Catholic leaders across the nation in a new and far-reaching effort to re-evangelize former and fallen away Catholics and to bring to faith the unbaptized, the "Nones,"—those who are non-affiliated by way of religion, and all the other children of God so that they may come to know the depth and breadth of His love for them.

On behalf of the entire Saint Catherine of Siena community, I wish to offer a warm welcome to our brothers and sisters from Saint Bernard Church. I know that the implementation of the Archdiocese’s Pastoral Plan, merging and even closing churches, is a difficult thing to accept. I honestly cannot imagine how I might feel if my home parish were merged or closed. So please know that you are all in our prayers…and also know that we welcome you to this Catholic Church and we hope that you will find not just a warm welcome, but a place of worship to call home, and that you will come to believe that this is YOUR parish and not a pew in which to sit.

You may have noticed a recent announcement in the parish bulletin regarding the new, red-globed Sanctuary lamp next to the Tabernacle, which remains lighted to signify the presence of Christ in the form of Holy Communion in the Tabernacle; and the candle may be lit to burn in memory of a loved one. Perhaps you have wondered why we announce, at the conclusion of the Gloria at the beginning of Mass, that "this Mass is being celebrated in memory of the noble soul of…,"

The Archdiocese of Hartford’s (AOH) Vocation Office invites you to join in pray for the Church as we seek to open the ears and hearts of those God is calling to be priests. The AOH Vocation’s Office invites everyone to come and pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood in our Archdiocese

This weekend’s Gospel, John 3: 16-18, is short and powerful. Take a look: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

This weekend we celebrate the “birthday of the Church,” the sending of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth and the ultimate “Gift-Giver” (remember the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit) of the Lord. This Sunday, bedecked in our liturgical color of red vestments, the Church-at-large celebrates the life blood or fuel of the Mystical Body of Christ: the Holy Spirit.

Our parish could really use your help. We are looking for people—men and women—who would like to join our Ushers Ministry. This ministry helps welcome people to Mass, especially visitors, assists Fr. Whyte with the taking up of the collection, and generally become a welcoming face of our parish. AND the great thing about this ministry is that there are few, if any, meetings. AND you serve while you are at Mass

On this 7th Sunday of Easter we hear in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles that after Jesus Ascended into heaven, the apostles and others returned to Jerusalem in anticipation of the coming Advocate, the Paraclete as promised by Jesus. We are told that they waited in prayer, with a desire in their hearts for the coming Advocate who would lead them to “all Truth and remind them of all that Jesus had told them.” Scripture scholars tell us that the listing the names of the 11 Apostles, minus Judas, is important since they differ in order from Luke’s Gospel listing which might mean a new importance or leadership of some in the group.

In this weekend’s Scripture readings—the Acts of the Apostles, 1 Peter, and the Gospel of John—all our readings direct our attention to the power found in our witnessing to the Faith—and the “conduit” through which we are able to become Christian Disciples—witnesses—to Christ Himself: known in Ecclesial language as filioque, or the Holy Spirit.

There has been much talk about the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Pastoral Planning process. Some folks have given it high marks as they investigate the process and see that the criteria used is more than just money raised by individual churches, understanding that it includes a “taking of the temperature” of the life of each parish, including but not limited to their sacramental numbers: Baptisms, First Holy Communions, Confirmations, Marriages and funerals; the general population or census shifts in each locale—past, present and future; the individual priests and their talents and gifts and how they might work with the parishioners

A Holy Hour is the Roman Catholic devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. A plenary indulgence is granted for this practice. I believe that spending time in the presence of the Lord (the Blessed Sacrament) helps develop our love for Him, thus drawing us ever closer into His life. This past week I met with a gentlemen who told me that when life gets tough, he can always find peace in the silence and presence of the Lord—in all Catholic churches. That is a Catholic Blessing for sure!

Sadly for too many people Confirmation means the end. The thought this Sacrament brings to mind is: “I can now decide for myself if I will continue going to Mass.” The belief that I’m now an adult in the Church—at age 15 when society keeps raising the age of childhood upwards till soon we will be having “youthful indiscretions” at age 48! this idea of “Catholic adulthood” is all wrong and it leads to asking the wrong question, rather Confirmation should pose just one question for us to ponder: “What kind of Catholic Christian shall I be?”

Vatican City, Apr 19, 2017 / 06:05 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the Church jumps into the Easter season, Pope Francis Wednesday offered a reflection on Christ’s Resurrection and the start of Christianity, saying it’s not about us and what we do, but what the Lord has done for us. “(Christianity) is not so much our search for God, but rather God's search for us. How beautiful to think that Christianity, essentially, is this!